BJP accuses Sonia Gandhi of objecting to full Vande Mataram; Congress denies

Published Aug 15, 09:36 AM UTC

On India's 80th Independence Day (August 15, 2026), the BJP accused Congress leader Sonia Gandhi of objecting to the singing of the full version of the national song 'Vande Mataram' at the Congress party's event. BJP leaders B.L. Santhosh and Gopal Krishna Agarwal shared video footage on X, alleging that Gandhi signaled to stop the song and that Rahul Gandhi also appeared uncomfortable. The Congress denied the charge, asserting that Gandhi was only asking for a chair for party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, who had been standing. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh cited a 1937 Congress Working Committee decision, advised by Rabindranath Tagore, to sing only the initial stanzas of Vande Mataram at Congress sessions, and confirmed the full version was sung on Saturday. The BJP framed the incident as exposing the Congress's 'mindset' and 'Emergency mindset,' while the Congress maintained there was no controversy.